Zariah is a girl in the Jungle Sanctuary. The jungle is green. The air is warm. Birds say “tweet tweet.”
Zariah is small, but she is brave. Sometimes she feels shy. She holds her hands close to her chest.
“Hello, jungle,” she whispers.
A Monkey swings down. He is quick and silly. He grins.
“Ooh-ooh! Aah-aah!” says Monkey. Then he pats Zariah’s head very gently.
Zariah giggles. “You are funny, Monkey.”
They walk on a soft path. There are big leaves. There are tall trees. There are bright flowers.
Zariah stops.
“Oh no,” she says. “My little pouch is gone.”
In the pouch is her shiny red shell button. It is her favorite treasure.
Monkey scratches his chin. “Ooh?”
Zariah looks around. She feels a tiny worry in her tummy.
Monkey points. “Aah!”
They look at the ground. They see footprints. Little ones. Then bigger ones.
“Let’s follow,” says Zariah.
They follow the footprints past a vine curtain. Drip, drip, goes water.
Behind the vines is a quiet place. A small stream sings “shh shh.”
Zariah listens.
“Do you hear that?” she asks.
Monkey cups his ear. “Ooh!”
They hear a soft clink. Clink… clink…
They tiptoe. Zariah tries to be quiet. Monkey tries too, but his tail bumps a leaf.
“Bop!”
Zariah laughs. “Silly tail.”
They peek behind a rock. There is Zariah’s pouch! It is stuck on a root.
But the stream has made it wet. The pouch is heavy. It will not move.
Zariah feels shy again. “I can’t,” she whispers.
Monkey holds her hand. “Aah-aah,” he says softly.
Zariah takes a deep breath. “I will try.”
She pulls. “One… two… three!”
It still sticks.
Monkey gets an idea. He brings a long leaf, like a little scoop.
He slides the leaf under the pouch. “Ooh-ooh!”
“Smart Monkey!” says Zariah.
Zariah pulls the leaf. Monkey pulls too. Together.
“Pull, pull!” says Zariah.
“Eek eek!” says Monkey.
Pop!
The pouch comes free. Zariah hugs it.
They open it. Inside is the shiny red shell button. It sparkles.
Zariah smiles big. “My treasure!”
Monkey claps. “Aah!”
Zariah pats Monkey’s cheek. “Thank you for helping.”
Monkey points to the stream. He sees something bright in the water.
Zariah looks. “What is that?”
They reach in. It is a smooth stone that shines like gold.
“A jungle coin!” says Zariah.
Monkey dances. “Ooh-ooh-ooh!”
Zariah puts the shiny stone in her pouch, with the red button.
Then she ties the pouch tight. “Safe now,” she says.
They walk back under the tall trees. The Jungle Sanctuary feels friendly.
Zariah is not so shy. She stands taller.
“I can find things,” she says. “And I can ask for help.”
Monkey nods fast. “Aah-aah!”
At home, Zariah puts the red button and the jungle coin in a little box.
“Treasure box,” she says.
Monkey curls up close.
Zariah whispers, “Good night, Monkey. Good night, jungle.”
The birds go “tweet tweet,” soft and slow. And Zariah feels safe and proud.